The Washington Commanders decided to draft a new dual-threat quarterback with the second pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and with 33 quarterbacks since their last Super Bowl win, they hope Jayden Daniels will be the answer.
Daniels is coming off of one of the best Heisman quarterback campaigns, perhaps of all time, recording 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He also ran 135 times for 1,134 yards and eight touchdowns. With these numbers and how Daniels can shock a defense, it became progressively clearer as the draft came closer that he should be the number 2 overall pick.
Washington also considered the University of North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and Michigan play caller JJ McCarthy as options for the No. 2 overall pick.
“They did a pretty good job of not showing their hand too much,” said Daniels, according to ESPN.
ESPN also reported that as far as Adam Peters was concerned: “It would have taken a lot for it to not be Jayden. The whole building I would say was unanimous on that one. It’s easy to see why.”
Peters, the newest general manager for the Washington Commanders, has a lot riding on the young quarterback out of LSU but is confident that he will be able to pick apart defenses in the NFL.
ESPN noted that Peters stated, “I turned on Jayden for the first time and I couldn’t believe how good he was, he was really good, the way he can process, the way he can see the field, the way he goes through his reads, the way he delivers [the ball] on time. He’s the best deep ball thrower in the draft — and that’s even before we start watching him run and the way he runs, he just takes your soul as a defense. You think you got him and then , all of a sudden, he rips off a 40-yard run. And this is against the SEC — the best of the best.”
Daniels will also join an entirely new look coaching staff in Washington, with the team replacing almost every coach they had from last year. Daniels also made note of some stars on the Washington offense he looked forward to working with noting Terry McClaurin, and Brian Robinson, along with new additions Austin Ekler and Zach Ertz.
Although his college career has been more than promising, it has been seen time and time again how much different the NFL is from college. Nevertheless, Washington fans wait anxiously for the start of the season with hopes of breaking what seems to be an endless pattern of hope, followed by disappointment.
